How to Practice Darts Alone: 5 Drills to Improve

Solo Darts Training: How to Practice Darts Alone Effectively

You don't need a sparring partner to become a darting machine; you just need a plan.

Many beginners make the mistake of standing at the oche and throwing blindly at Treble 20 for an hour. This isn't practice; it's a warm-up at best and a way to ingrain bad habits at worst. To truly improve, you need to turn your solo sessions into a competitive environment where you play against your toughest opponent: yourself.

Why is solo practice essential for improvement?

Practicing alone is the only time you can focus entirely on your mechanics without the distraction of scorekeeping for an opponent or waiting for your turn. It allows for "deep work." During solo sessions, you can isolate specific weaknesses—whether it's hitting tops (double 20) or straying into the 1 and 5 beds—and drill them until they are fixed. The lack of an external opponent means you must generate your own pressure through scored drills.

How should I warm up before my solo darts session?

Never jump straight into high-stakes drills. Cold muscles lead to stiff throws and frustration.

1. Physical Stretch: Briefly stretch your arm, shoulder, and back.
2. The "Group Therapy" Drill: Ignore the segments. Throw all three darts at the board, aiming for the first dart you threw. The goal is tight grouping, not high scores.
3. Around the Board: Spend 5 minutes throwing one dart at every number from 1 to 20 just to get your eye in across the entire circumference of the board.

What are the best solo darts routines?

Here are three industry-standard drills designed to cover the three pillars of darts: Board Navigation, Doubles, and Heavy Scoring.

1. Round the Clock (Board Navigation)

This is the foundational game for accuracy. You can practice a different version of this drill in the DartsZone app, it's called singles training.

• The Rules: You must hit numbers 1 through 20 in numerical order.
• Difficulty modifiers:
  • Beginner: Singles count.
  • Intermediate: Only the Trebles count.
  • Advanced: Only the Doubles count.
• Why it works: It forces you to move around the board constantly, adjusting your stance and aim height, rather than getting "stuck" on one segment.

2. Bob’s 27 (Doubles Under Pressure)

Invented by World Champion Bob Anderson, this is arguably the best solo routine for finishing.

• The Setup: Start with a score of 27.
• The Rules: Throw three darts at Double 1.
  • If you hit it once, add the value (2 points) to your score.
  • If you hit it twice, add double the value.
  • Crucial: If you miss with all three darts, subtract the value of the double (2 points) from your score.
• Progression: Move to D2, D3, all the way to the Bullseye.
• Game Over: If your score drops below 0, the game ends immediately.
• Why it works: It introduces "consequence." The fear of going bust mimics the pressure of a match-winning double.

3. The "A1" Routine (Scoring Consistency)

This drill focuses on the power scoring segments (20, 19, 18).

• The Rules: You have 5 sets of throws (15 darts) to score as many points as possible on the 20s.
• The Goal: Count how many 20s you hit (Trebles count as 3, Doubles as 2).
• Target: Aim for a "century" (100 hits) across 20, 19, and 18 over a week of practice.
• Why it works: It builds the muscle memory required for the repetitive motion of high scoring.

How do I track my progress?

You cannot improve what you do not measure. In the modern era, using a notebook is fine, but apps are better.

• Log your bests: Write down your highest score on Bob’s 27. Try to beat it next week.
• DartCounter / My Dart Training: These apps allow you to play against a "Bot" calibrated to your average. This simulates match play perfectly.
• Focus on averages: Track your 3-dart average over a month. If it goes from 45 to 50, your solo practice is working.

Conclusion

Mastering darts is a marathon, not a sprint. By replacing aimless throwing with structured games like Bob's 27 and tracking your stats, you transform lonely practice into a high-performance training camp. Consistency in your routine will lead to consistency in your throw.

Ready to level up? Put your phone down, walk to the board, and try one round of "Round the Clock" focusing purely on your follow-through.

Sources:

• PDC - Professional Darts Corporation
• Red Dragon Darts - Flight School
• Darts Performance Centre - Training Routines